Counting 1 to 10
Your child taps and counts apples and ladybugs, shows numbers on fingers, feeds a hungry caterpillar just the right number of apples and traces the numbers 0 to 10. Every word is read aloud, so no reading is needed.
PlayInside the game
Count
Tap each apple, star or snail once and hear the count go up.
Fingers
Find the hands that show a number, or count the fingers that are up.
Feed
Give the caterpillar exactly as many apples as it asks for.
Dots
Join four numbers to the cards with that many dots.
Write
Trace the numbers 0 to 10, then see that many apples appear.
Book
A number book: one nose, four cat legs, eight octopus arms and more.
Memory
Find pairs of a number and a card with that many things: 4, 6 or 8 pairs.
Quiz
Ten questions. Every right answer is an apple, and with eight the caterpillar turns into a butterfly.
Facts for kids
Word for word as the game reads them aloud.
Zero
Zero means nothing at all. When the plate is empty, there are zero cookies left!
One
You have one nose and one mouth. And there is only one you!
Two
You have two eyes, two ears, two hands and two feet.
Three
A triangle has three sides and three corners.
Four
A cat has four legs. A dog has four legs too. And a chair has four legs!
Five
One hand has five fingers. Wiggle them and count: one, two, three, four, five!
Six
A ladybug has six legs. All insects have six legs!
Seven
A week has seven days. When the week is over, it starts again.
Eight
An octopus has eight arms. And a spider has eight legs!
Nine
Nine is one less than ten. Hold up ten fingers, fold one down, and you see nine!
Ten
You have ten fingers and ten toes. That is why it is so handy to count to ten!
Caterpillar legs
A caterpillar has six real legs at the front, and soft little legs behind to hold on tight to leaves.
Butterfly wings
One day a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. A butterfly has four wings: two big ones and two smaller ones.
Questions kids ask
Why should my child touch each thing while counting?
Touching or pointing helps your child say exactly one number for each thing. It makes it easier to notice a thing that was skipped or counted twice.
What is one-to-one counting?
It means matching one number word to each object, one time each. In the game, every thing your child taps gets its own number and cannot be counted again.
How do you know how many there are after counting?
The last number you say tells how many there are altogether. This idea is called cardinality, and it is why the game repeats the total at the end of each count.
My child can say the numbers to 10 but counts things wrong. Is that normal?
Yes. Saying the numbers in order is easier than counting objects, and it can take preschoolers months to count things one by one without skipping or doubling.
Is it OK to count on fingers?
Yes. A long-term study found that young children who counted on their fingers did better at adding later, and children stop using their fingers on their own when they no longer need them.
Why does the game say six is five and one?
One hand has five fingers, so six, seven, eight and nine can be seen as a full hand and a few more. This helps children see a number without counting every finger again.
When do children usually count to 10?
Many children learn to say the numbers to 10 in the preschool years, and counting ten real things correctly often comes a little later. Children learn at different speeds, and that is normal.
Does it matter how the things are lined up?
No. The number stays the same whatever the order or arrangement, but things spread out in a jumble are harder to keep track of than things in a row. The game scatters them on purpose.
Is zero a number?
Yes. Zero means none at all, like an empty plate. The game includes zero in the number book and when tracing numbers.
What comes after 10?
Eleven, twelve and then the teen numbers up to twenty. Eleven and twelve do not sound like ten and one, so many children need extra practice here.
Why trace numbers when my child is learning to count?
Tracing links the written number to its name and to an amount. After each number, the game shows that many apples.
How can we practice counting at home?
Count things during the day: stairs, spoons, toes or crackers. Ask your child to hand you a certain number, like three spoons, and count them together.
Talk about it
- What do you have two of? What do you have ten of?
- The caterpillar wants five apples and has three. How many more does it need?
- If we count the toys from the other end, do we get the same number?
Snack counting
Put a small pile of crackers or grapes on the table and ask for a number: "Please give me six." Your child moves each one onto a plate while counting. Count again together to check, then enjoy the snack.
Facts checked against University of Washington I-LABS: Building one-to-one correspondence skills, Common Core State Standards: Kindergarten counting and cardinality, University of Wollongong: Kids who count on their fingers do better at math. Last checked October 13, 2026. Who makes Play & Learn